Skip to Content

What is Raised-Bed Gardening? And is It Better?

What is raised bed gardening? Raised bed gardening is a way to provide growing areas on poor rocky ground or to raise them to a more comfortable level. It protects plants from insect attacks and prevents excessive flooding of the growing area during heavy rains. It also provides warmer soil conditions earlier in the spring.

Read More about What is Raised-Bed Gardening? And is It Better?

Soil Selection: The Missing Piece to a Beautiful Garden

The main difference between potting soil, topsoil, and garden soil is that it’s been specifically formulated for use in containers. Topsoil is usually processed to become finer to make it perfect for raised beds and seeds. Finally, garden soil is topsoil that has been enriched to make it optimal for plant growth.

Read More about Soil Selection: The Missing Piece to a Beautiful Garden

Potting Mix vs Soil: Which is Better for Your Plants?

There is a difference between potting soil and potting mix, even though these two terms are used interchangeably. Potting mix is a strictly soilless medium, whereas potting soil may or may not have soil. Because it does not include soil, it cannot harbor fungus or other diseases; for this reason, potting mix is safer for plants.

Read More about Potting Mix vs Soil: Which is Better for Your Plants?

The Truth About Growing Potatoes in Tires

Is it safe to grow potatoes in tires? Despite what you may have heard, as an organic gardener, I still believe that potatoes are not safe to grow in tires. Tires contain lots of chemicals such as Lead, Benzene, Styrene, and even Microplastics. As I didn’t really know what these were, I researched it further. Here is what I found out!

Read More about The Truth About Growing Potatoes in Tires

How Do You Know When to Harvest Elephant Garlic?

Harvest garlic when most of the leaves on have turned yellowish-brown and begin to flop over. Going by the standard guidelines, elephant garlic is usually planted in early fall and ready to pick between May and July the following year. For fall-planted garlic, this time is enough to split into cloves. However, spring-planted elephant garlic can be harvested after 90 days but will most likely be a single bulb.

Read More about How Do You Know When to Harvest Elephant Garlic?

Reliable Vegetable Garden Cost According To You!

How much does a vegetable garden cost? It can vary greatly as no garden is identical, and also the resources required can vary on location, soil quality, preparation required, and what you wish to grow. But to answer this further, I asked 24 other gardeners to see what they spent when starting their vegetable gardens.

Read More about Reliable Vegetable Garden Cost According To You!

The Ultimate Guide to COVER CROPS

Cover crops are fast-growing plants that are grown to cover bare earth. They are not intended to be harvested and are grown for the improvement of soil quality. They have properties to help you build soil structure. Improving soil quality, water retention and nutrient density for the food you grow. They can save you money on fertilizer. And save you time on weeding as these crops will smoother all weeds preventing their growth. They will also help manage pests in the garden.

Read More about The Ultimate Guide to COVER CROPS

Compost 101: How to Get it Right for Your Plants

Compost fosters bacteria that are used for breaking down organic matter. However, excessive amounts will cause it to be anaerobic. Applying too much compost to plants will cause them to be more prone to diseases, making it necessary to apply only one inch of compost per year on top of your plants.

Read More about Compost 101: How to Get it Right for Your Plants

Strong Winds? No Problem! Secure Your Polytunnel

The fight to keep Polytunnels grounded in the face of storms is continuous – until it is solved. Here we explore how to keep your Polytunnel, with its low size-to-weight ratio, from being blown away by the powerful and often destructive force – wind. We take a brief look at the science behind it and then look at how to mitigate the risk factors.

Read More about Strong Winds? No Problem! Secure Your Polytunnel

25 best Landscaping Rocks for Creative Gardens

Our gardening and landscaping guide will explore different types of stones and landscaping ideas you can use for specific types. Remember, people began using rocks to decorate their homesteads and gardens at the beginning of time. Take your time and learn to integrate different types of landscaping rocks into your garden designs with ease.

Read More about 25 best Landscaping Rocks for Creative Gardens

Should You Remove Old Mulch? Here’s the Deal.

Old mulch does not usually need to be removed and is often acceptable to leave undisturbed. It should be removed if it is infected with fungi or if the plants it surrounded were diseased. You’ll want to check the mulch to ensure it is effective and hasn’t matted itself down, choking off your plants’ access to air and water. 

Read More about Should You Remove Old Mulch? Here’s the Deal.

Prevent Leaf Mulch Blowing Away With These 5 Tips

Leaf mulch is a great tool for gardeners. It keeps the soil at a more consistent temperature, but it also improves soil fertility. One of the issues with leaf mulch is that it can blow away in windy conditions. The best way to prevent this from occurring is by using stalks and sticks to hold down the leaf mulch.

Read More about Prevent Leaf Mulch Blowing Away With These 5 Tips

Do Compost Bins Attract Rats? How to Prevent It!

The process within compost bins helps organic matter break naturally into elements that enrich the soil and encourage beneficial bacteria and fungi. This, in turn, produces an earthy smell that attracts rats and other rodents. One of the main ways to avoid having rat infestations is to refrain from putting food waste into your compost bins.

Read More about Do Compost Bins Attract Rats? How to Prevent It!

The Ultimate Guide to Back to Eden Gardening

Back to Eden, gardening is a natural method of growing vegetables, plants, and herbs in the way nature intended plants to grow, which is referred to as permaculture. It is the perfect way to start an organic garden because it requires little to no watering, no tilling, and no weeding. Additionally, this gardening method increases soil organic matter, reduces erosion, and sequesters carbon in the soil.

Read More about The Ultimate Guide to Back to Eden Gardening

How To Control Allium Leaf Miner. Protect Your Plants!

How to control allium leaf miner? The only surefire way to control allium leaf miner is to cover the plants before they are affected. Enviromesh, insect mesh or even fleece can be used with great effect. Prevention is much better than cure. If crops do have allium leaf miner the safest bet is to burn and destroy the plant to prevent its spread.

Read More about How To Control Allium Leaf Miner. Protect Your Plants!

The Best Way to Plant Potatoes? Sprout Them!

Sprouting seed potatoes will cause them to be ready earlier in the season. It can also increase the size and weight of the harvest. But not all potatoes require to be sprouted. Early varieties, those with a short growing season are planted early and benefit from sprouting before putting in the soil. Later varieties don’t gain much growth due to the warm temperatures already present.

Read More about The Best Way to Plant Potatoes? Sprout Them!

Is Epsom Salt Good For Plants?

Is Epsom salt good for plants? Yes, Epsom salt is an ideal product to use for your plants. We all know Plants need Magnesium to be healthy and Epsom salt is made from Magnesium Sulfate and Sulfur. This is absorbed by the plant’s root system making them stronger and much more resistant to pests and diseases. It increases growth and produces larger vegetables and blooms.

Read More about Is Epsom Salt Good For Plants?